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Island Hopping in Greece

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If there is a perfect place, the Greek Islands may just be it! From the crystal clear, turquoise-hued water to the utterly unblemished, white plaster architecture everything is so beautiful and so perfect that it barely seems real. However, beyond the idyllic surface, Greece is incredibly rich with history, culture, art, dining, shopping and more.

 

 

We started and finished our trip in Athens. As a big city Athens is not as picturesque as the islands, but it more than makes up for it with history. It is amazing to see a modern city that has built up around some of antiquity’s masterpieces.

A highlight for us was seeing a traditional Greek music and dance show in the ancient theater, Odeon of Herodes, at The Acropolis.

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From Athens we boarded the M/Y O’ceanos and were swept away.

 

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The first stop in our weeklong dream was the Temple of Poseidon  in Sounion. Built in the 5th century B.C. this ancient sacred structure overlooks the azure sea on three sides. Poseidon’s Temple is one of those places that makes your heart skip a beat. It’s incredible to stand on the stones that were put in place by the hands of man thousands of years ago while gazing into the same sea that the great leader, Pericles, looked upon.

 

That night we docked at the island of Poros, with streets of marble.

 

Each morning we would set sail early, dock at a swimming spot and then head to an island…

Swimming in the Aegean…

Swimming off of a yacht may have been one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. We jumped off the top deck and dropped about 30 feet into the crystal clear water. We flew down the inflatable water slide. We swam through caves in Melos. We snorkeled. We ate fresh sea urchins. And we PLAYED!

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That water though…

 

Caves…

 

Playing…

 

FRESH Sea Urchins…

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The Islands…

Mykonos: hip, beautiful, great restaurants, great shopping and lots of parties…

 

 

Paros: Beautiful fishing village, picturesque, and great shopping. This might have been my favorite island. It was so quaint and lovely…

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Santorini: beautiful, crowded, well-known and a great place to  watch a sunset. In Santorini you can’t help but feel like you may have stumbled upon the lost city of Atlantis (but it seems like 1/2 of the world might’ve too). We opted to drive up to Fira rather than take a donkey or fight the cruise ship crowds for the cable car…

 

 

 

Milos: The port area is lovely, but you will definitely want grab a taxi and head up to the city center. Small windy streets give way to lovely churches and breathtaking vistas. We spent most of our time in Milos swimming in caves, which you should definitely do if you’re there (there are plenty of day trips from the surrounding islands). Swimming through these caves is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done, it was eerie and amazing. Part of me expected Cyclops or the Sirens to appear at any minute…

 

 

Hydrea: There are no cars or bikes allowed in Hydrea. Transportation is either by donkey or walking.

 

 

Sailing back to Athens…

 

Thanks to the amazing crew this trip was perfection…

 

Stay tuned for the video.

 

The Paris Opera House

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There are some places in the world that are so beautiful that it almost defies logic. We always speak of the places in nature where God’s hand or Mother Nature’s work simply takes your breath away, but then there are places where the talent of another human seems nearly impossible.

The Paris Opera House is one of those places, a place that has collected the incredible talent of so many for more than a century.

The gilded walls of the Opera House are filled with the ghosts of passion, art and creativity. Like an electric current that uses your heart as a conduit, the history here is palpable.

We toured the Opera House on a whim while we were spending a couple hours in Paris, before heading out to the French countryside. We were able to peek in on the performers rehearsing that evening’s show, then take in the beauty and history of the building.

Even though Jake and Zac are so young, I welcome the opportunity to show them such beauty. The passion, creativity and talent of others has always sparked connections between my mind, my soul and my heart and I hope it does the same for my little guys.

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The Berghaus Bort in Grindelwald, Switzerland

The Berghaus Bort in Grindelwald, Switzerland is a rustic alpine retreat nestled just off the Bort station of the First Gondola. It’s only reachable by gondola in the winter. So be prepared to dodge skiers, snowboarders and sledgers while you are lugging your kids and bags onto the moving car. It’s not easy to get to, but the charm and views are worth it. The Berghaus Bort offers majestic views of the glorious Swiss Alps in nearly every direction. It’s simple accommodations and mountain-filled fun will make this a memorable stay for you and yours! Berghaus Bort

Borthwick Castle

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Borthwick Castle  just outside of Edinburgh is an AMAZING hotel! Built in 1430, the castle was once the refuge of Mary Queen of Scots and still bears the damage from Cromwell’s cannons.

Cromwell’s Cannon Damage to Borthwick

It is one of my favorite hotels because it gives you such a unique and authentic experience.

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Inside we crept up the tiny spiral stairwells to our rooms, we had dinner in the Grand Hall, then headed to the State Room for drinks. We played croquet on the front lawn. We slept in the Mary Queen of Scots room, which had a hidden door to the State Room. We spent the night like royalty and we LOVED it!

We even had a ghost visit our room. Door knobs rattled with no one there. Heavy wooden doors swung open on their own and I slept better than I ever had before.

Maquoketa Caves State Park

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Every once in a while we stumble upon an unexpected adventure and Maquoketa Caves in Iowa is one of those places. Nestled between emerald green rolling hills that are dotted with grazing cattle and golden fields of grain, Mother Earth has twisted herself into a wondrous system of tunnels and cliffs. Oozing with adventure, the trails at Maquoketa Caves take you up and down, in and out and through some of nature’s most fun scenery.

If I had told Jake and Zac we were going hiking, they would have complained all the way there. They don’t like walking around for the sake of walking around, but they will walk for hours in search of something… So we don’t go hiking we go hunting for dinosaur bones, fairies, elves, gnomes, smurfs and anything else that strikes their imagination.

I wish I could claim this parenting hack as my own, but as anyone that has ever ventured out in nature knows – it’s simply filled with a sense of magic. The valleys and peaks of Maquoketa Caves seemingly captures this magic, and it took less than five minutes for Jake and Zac to spot a possible gnome village carved out of a fallen tree nearly lost in the tiny white flowers that covered the forest floor.

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There is also a sense of danger that precariously balances on each tree and boulder dangling on the edge of every rocky outcropping. Some of the tunnels get very tight and you have to crawl to get through. Consequently, you will want to bring head lamps and a possible change of clothes if you plan to go that deep into the caves. We were not able to venture that deep into the caves because it was too rainy and wet when we were there, so we stuck to the larger caves.

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Maquoketa Caves is filled with a sense of magic that kids will love! It’s also brimming with the adrenaline-inciting sense of danger that grown-kids adore!